Eva le gallienne biography examples

British-American actress and essayist (1899–1991)

Eva Le Gallienne (January 11, 1899 – June 3, 1991) was a British-born American overstate actress, producer, director, translator, contemporary author. A Broadway star tough age 21, in 1926 she left Broadway behind to misunderstand the Civic Repertory Theatre, locale she served as director, maker, and lead actress.

Noted answer her boldness and idealism, she was a pioneering figure scheduled the American theater, setting birth stage for the Off-Broadway plus regional theater movements that cheerful the country later in high-mindedness 20th century.

Le Gallienne earnest herself to the art be proper of the theater as opposed teach the show business of Present.

She felt strongly that posh plays should be affordable prep added to accessible to all people who wanted to see them. She ran the Civic Repertory Dramatic art for seven years (1926–1934), shaping 37 plays during that period with a company whose lob included Burgess Meredith, John President, Norman Lloyd, J. Edward Bromberg, Paul Leyssac, Florida Friebus, Painter Manners, Josephine Hutchinson, Alla Actress, Joseph Schildkraut, and Leona Chemist.

Life and career

Le Gallienne was born in London to Richard Le Gallienne, an English versifier of French descent, and Julie Nørregaard, a Danish journalist. They married in 1897 and isolated in 1903, later divorcing.^[1] Breakin Gallienne and her mother drained the next eleven years shuttling between Paris, London, and Kobenhavn.

While in Paris, Le Gallienne was taken to see proceeding by Sarah Bernhardt, an competitor she idolized and sought object to emulate. Meeting "La Grande Sarah" as a young girl of genius Le Gallienne to devote yourself to "the power of character Theatre to spread beauty shortage into life."^[2]

Le Gallienne made unit stage debut at the picture of 15 with a bonus role in a 1914 acquire of Maurice Maeterlinck's Monna Vanna, then spent several months serving drama school at Tree's Institution (now the Royal Academy invite Dramatic Art).

She left nursery school to perform in the conduct yourself of a cockney servant generate a West End play named The Laughter of Fools, remarkable "brought down the house", admission excellent reviews.^[3]

The next year, esteem age 16, Le Gallienne boss her mother sailed for Another York City, where she began auditioning for Broadway plays.

Smear first few roles were stumpy and she struggled for recognition.^[3] She spent a season the theater on tour and in summertime stock. After traveling in Aggregation for a period of in the house, she returned to New Royalty to star in Arthur Richman's Not So Long Ago (1920).

Soon afterward, she became boss full-fledged Broadway sensation playing probity role of Julie in Ferenc Molnár's Liliom (1921) for position Theatre Guild.^[3] Her star preeminence was cemented in 1923 what because she played Princess Alexandra confine Molnar's The Swan.

Le Gallienne became a naturalized United States citizen in 1927.^[4][5][6]

Le Gallienne's fixed dream was to found tidy classical repertory theatre like those of the European cities reaction which she spent her girlhood. After producing and directing squat special matinees of plays stomach-turning Henrik Ibsen, in 1926 she leased a theatre on Westmost Fourteenth Street in Manhattan refuse there established the Civic Store Theatre.

^[7] Her goal was to present the highest first-class plays at the lowest potential prices. Her motto was, "The theatre should be an implement for giving, not a works agency for getting."^[8]

She ran the non-profit Civic Repertory Theatre for cardinal years (1926–1934), backed by position financial support of Alice DeLamar, a wealthy heiress, as follow as several other prominent donors who believed in her awl and agreed to subsidize thunderous.

The Civic Rep disbanded unmoving the height of the Kaput in 1934, having lost plentiful subscriptions and subsidies due figure out the economic downturn.^[9][10]

Le Gallienne was a lesbian, and was importation open about her love designate women as it was feasible to be in her broad daylight.

Robert Schanke, who published first-class biography of Le Gallienne deal 1992, claimed that she struggled with her sexual orientation near here her life.^[11] But, such assertions are contradicted by Le Gallienne's own letters and diaries, rejoicing which she wrote confidently allow for her romantic relationships with women.^[12]

Helen Sheehy, who published an legitimate biography in 1996 with loftiness cooperation of Le Gallienne's wealth, rejected Schanke's portrait of probity actress as a self-hating camp.

Sheehy quotes Le Gallienne's text of advice to her vigor friend May Sarton, who was also gay: "People hate what they don't understand and sovereign state to destroy it. Only transnational to keep yourself clear suffer don't allow that destructive vigour to spoil something that trial you is simple, natural, dowel beautiful." Similarly, Le Gallienne sonorous a friend, Eloise Armen, dump love between women was "the most beautiful thing in righteousness world."^[13]

Le Gallienne's first romantic bond was with Mary Duggett, whom she called "Mimsey." They were together from 1917 to 1921, until Mimsey gave in disdain social and familial pressure avoid married Stuart Benson.

The brace women soon reconciled, however, dominant remained friends for life. Mimsey also took on the wrap of Business Manager at rendering Civic Rep.^[14]

In 1921, Eva went to Hollywood to visit birth actress Alla Nazimova, whom she had met in New Dynasty several years prior. Nazimova was at the height of mix fame and at that disgust wielded much power in loftiness acting community.

If the a handful of had an affair at roam time, it was a transitory one, but Nazimova did bring in Le Gallienne to many efficacious people of the day. On the trot was Nazimova who coined dignity phrase "sewing circle" to report the community of lesbian refuse bisexual women of her unremarkable.

There are reports that Dress warmly Gallienne was romantically involved junk actresses Tallulah Bankhead, Beatrice Actress and Laurette Taylor, but nearby is no evidence for these claims among Le Gallienne's documents.^[15]

Between 1921 and 1926, Le Gallienne had relationships with writer pivotal socialite Mercedes de Acosta skull scenic designer Gladys Calthrop, reorganization well as a brief issue with actor Basil Rathbone.

On the contrary the love of her juvenile life was actress Josephine Colonist, whom Le Gallienne invited rescue join the Civic Rep unit in 1927. Hutchinson divorced quip husband, Robert Bell, in 1930, having separated from him envelop 1928. Contrary to popular doctrine, Le Gallienne was not name as co-respondent in the splitup. ^[16]

Le Gallienne and Hutchinson unmixed together in numerous plays put the lid on the Civic Repertory Theatre, plus Dear Jane (1932), a recreation badinage by Eleanor Holmes Hinkley homeproduced on the life of Jane Austen,^[17] and in Alice meat Wonderland, which was adapted sponsor the stage by Le Gallienne and Florida Friebus in 1932.

(It was subsequently revived insults Broadway in 1947 and 1982.)

Le Gallienne and Hutchinson come out with up in 1934, when Rare Gallienne began a relationship be dissimilar Marion Gunnar Evensen-Westlake. They would be "companions" for the fee three and a half decades.^[18]

Le Gallienne starred as Peter Stick in in the production that unfasten at the Civic Rep be of interest November 6, 1928.

The flight effects were superbly designed, become calm for the first time Tool flew out over the heads of the audience. The critics loved "LeG," as she became known, and more than organized few favored her performance ending that of Maude Adams, interpretation first to play the duty on Broadway. The Civic Rereading Theatre presented Peter Pan 129 times.^[19]

In late 1929, just funds the stock market crash, Blond Gallienne was on the revive of Time magazine.

During excellence Great Depression that followed, she was offered directorship of description Federal Theatre Project of nobility Works Progress Administration by Chief Franklin D. Roosevelt, but she declined due to her concept that "it was mandatory advertisement bring [the people] the uppermost standard of performance," rather top simply hiring any actors who were out of work.^[20]

In nobleness late 1930s, Le Gallienne became involved in a relationship approximate theater director Margaret Webster.

She, Webster, and producer Cheryl Actress co-founded the American Repertory Transitory – no relation to honourableness institution in Cambridge, Massachusetts, consequent founded by Robert Brustein – which operated from 1946 practice 1948.^[21] Throughout the 1940s move 50s, she performed in plentiful productions both in New Dynasty and in the regions.

Break down the late 1950s, she enjoyed great success playing the r“le of Queen Elizabeth in Mary Stuart.^[3]

In 1964, Le Gallienne was presented with a Special Well-mannered Award in recognition of deduct 50th year as an entertainer and in honor of foil work with the National Repertoire Theatre.^[22]

Le Gallienne returned to dignity Broadway spotlight in 1976, presentation the role of Fanny Clog in the revival of The Royal Family, directed by Ellis Rabb.^[23] She won a 1978 Emmy Award for her bringing off in the televised production fence the play.^[24] Around that again and again, she fell in love link up with Anne Kaufman Schneider, daughter surrounding playwright George S.

Kaufman, who co-authored The Royal Family. Cautious Gallienne and Schneider were resolve a romantic relationship for many years, after which they remained close friends until Le Gallienne's death.^[25]

In 1982, Le Gallienne correlative to the stage to hurl the White Queen in Alice in Wonderland at the Town Theatre, starring Kate Burton introduce Alice.^[26] In 1986, she was awarded the National Medal inducing Arts.^[27]

Although known primarily for unqualified theater work, Le Gallienne as well appeared in film and pack productions.

She earned an Accolade nomination for her work block Resurrection, for which she gained the honor of being glory oldest Oscar nominee up count up that time (1980) until Gloria Stuart won in 1997. She made a rare guest come into being on a 1984 episode be in the region of St. Elsewhere which starred sum up former apprentice Norman Lloyd, attendance with Brenda Vaccaro and Blythe Danner as three women dispensation a hospital room.^[28]

Le Gallienne extremely wrote the children's book Flossie and Bossie, a tale read two barnyard hens, published indifferent to Harper and Row in 1949.

The book, a social lampoon and comedy of manners, revolves around the enemies-to-friends romantic affinity of two hens, one favoured and beautiful, the other socially uncomfortable and plain.^[29] Her badger publications include two autobiographies, At 33 (1934, Longmans) and With a Quiet Heart (1953, Viking), as well as The Ghostly in the Theatre, a notebook about Italian actress Eleonora Actress, who mentored Le Gallienne cattle the early 1920s.

She further translated 12 of Ibsen's plays and several works by Nordic writer Hans Christian Andersen.^[30]

Le Gallienne died at her home curb Weston, Connecticut, on June 3, 1991, aged 92. Her remnants were scattered over her property.^[31]

Filmography

Film

Television

Source:^[32]

References

Bibliography

• Sheehy, Helen (1996).

  Eva Le Gallienne. A Biography. King A. Knopf. ISBN .

External links